Out of Cranky's Lab-RAT-ory–Endlessly Rocking

[Tom Kren]

WOW!!!! great job has me wanting to do a beater now where can i get that crakle paint craft stores??

[Dr. Cranky]

Get it at Amazon. Cheaper and faster.

[Dr. Cranky]

And Tom, I would love to see a beater emerge from your bench. Long live rust!

[Doubleought]

Fantastic, enjoyed looking as well as learning. Thanks for sharing.

[Dr. Cranky]

Here's a close up of the crackle . . .

[Dr. Cranky]

Okay, folks, this one is moving on to final touches, etc . . . so I am going to move it to "underglass."

Hope you all give these techniques and try and show your own results.

Yours truly, D. Cranky, Doctor of GUNK and Styrene-ology

[sak]

What is the purpose of the hairspray? To prevent the top coat from adhering to the undercoat, making it easier to scrspe into ?

[Dr. Cranky]

Yes, Jeff, exaclty. The hairspray works as a layer that softens back up when you apply the water and it makes for the chipping of the paint easier . . .

[Foxer]

Here's a close up of the crackle . . .

This is weathering perfection! Now I have to go sweep out the bed of my truck cause it looks JUST like that. Oh, I don't have a truck, but if I did ...

[Ryan S.]

Question, would this hairspray technique as well as the salt technique work well enough with spray cans rather than an airbrush? I've got something in the works that I'd like to employ some of these tricks on but I'm using strictly spray cans at this point, no funds for an airbrush set up. Thanks.

Edit to add: Cranky, this truck looks awesome. Fantastic job. That pic of the dirty bed looks real. Great job.

Edited November 11, 2010 by Ryan S.

[Darren B]

WOWOWOWOWOWOW once again another masterpiece, you always top the previous build, awesome try out on another technique and thank you for sharing with us!

[MikeMc]

Over the top and my skills Virgil!!!

one thought I always get and never see is a crushed hubcap......how about it??? :wub:

[Dr. Cranky]

Thanks, chaps. Thanks for the kind words.

A crushed hubcap, now there's an idea . . .I would imagine it could be done using aluminum foil . . . hum . . .

Ryan, I don't think the hairspray technique would work as well (or if at all) with rattlecans because the rattlecan puts out way too much paint volume. Also, for the hairspray technique to work the final color coat has to be acrylic, not enamly or lacquer . . . acrylic softens up with the water which cuts down to the hairspray coat and then softens THAT and then the paint can be chipped.

But in this hobby you never say never . . . I wouls say give it a try . . . and report back.

[David G.]

Cranky, thanks for the paint tips, yor truly are the master of rust & dust!

Question, would this hairspray technique as well as the salt technique work well enough with spray cans rather than an airbrush? I've got something in the works that I'd like to employ some of these tricks on but I'm using strictly spray cans at this point, no funds for an airbrush set up. Thanks.

Edit to add: Cranky, this truck looks awesome. Fantastic job. That pic of the dirty bed looks real. Great job.

It does work! I used the technique on my Reaver.

Without meaning to hijack Cranky's thread, here's proof.

Regards,

David G.

[styromaniac]

Another masterful job.

You and Ken Hamilton are my favorite practitioners of the craft.

Edited November 11, 2010 by styromaniac

[Danno]

Very interesting. Good result!

[Dr. Cranky]

Putting me in the same company with Ken Hamilton is an honor, buddy. Thanks, but Ken (like Chuck Doan) is in a galaxy all his own.

David, seeing your REAVER makes me want to build another WW3 vehicle. Too little time too man models!

Thanks for the comments everyone.

[Chuck Most]

Putting me in the same company with Ken Hamilton is an honor, buddy. Thanks, but Ken (like Chuck Doan) is in a galaxy all his own.

David, seeing your REAVER makes me want to build another WW3 vehicle. Too little time too man models!

Thanks for the comments everyone.

News to me- I had no idea Ken and Chuck Doan were from another galaxy! Maybe that explains why they glow in the dark...

David- I'm lovin' the REAVER too!

[Dr. Cranky]

Let there be more WW3/Post-Apocalyptic vehicles . . . more, more, more . . . starting with you, Chuck. Do one this weekend. There you go, you've been challenged!

[skmodelcars]

GREAT weathering!!

[Tom Kren]

Crany that model is off the wall and the bed holy #$@% YOU DA MAN!!!How bout on the dented hub cap can you just heat it up and put a indent in it like you would do a fender?

[Dr. Cranky]

Tom, that's a great idea, but it should not be difficult to make one out of tinfoil using the original cap and then dent it up.

Or even better, make a buck and form out of thin metal . . . thanks for the kind words.

[Raul_Perez]

Awesome work, as usual, Virgil!!

Thanks for the tips!! Now that winter is coming, I may get back to building a few weathered projects...but then in sunny CA, you can spray Testors lacquer almost any day and get a great shine!!

Later,

[runsw/scissors]

just one question. how do you do the chrome? nice work, looks very realistic, think i'm going to have to give it a try.

[Dr. Cranky]

Chrome is easy to weather. Sprits it with dullcoat, black primer, and a little gray too . . . then after it all dries, you run a little wash over it . . . or you can dust it with the airbrush and sand-colored paint.